Improvement in game-boards



r. P. nouns..

Game-Boards.

Patented my 22,1873..

AM pHoro-umasmmlc ca NX (osaamvs mangas) UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

FRANCIS P. HOLMES, OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,05 3, dated July 22, 1873; application tiled May 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS P. HOLMES, of North Bridgewater, in the county of Plymonth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Quoit Game-Board, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, cheap, and useful device or apparatus for the amusement of children and others. It being especially designed for use within doors or in a house, I term it the Ottoman Quoit-Board.

The nature of the invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of the parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l denotes a top view of the Ydevice with the lid raised. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, some of the parts being represented as broken away to more clearly exhibit the bell and striking apparatus. Fig. 3 is a central and vertical section taken through the bell and the disk or bulls-eye.

In the drawing, A denotes a shallow box,

` which may be of a rectangular or other desired shape, supported upon legs a, and provided with a cover, B, which may be upholstered, and thus constitute a neat and useful article of furniture. O is a quoit-board, which is disposed centrally within and afixed to the bottom of the box. D is a disk or bulls-eye, affixed to the top of a cylindrical or other proper-shaped rod, b, extending vertically downward through a sleeve or guide, c, ailixed to the sides of a passage, made through the quoitboard and bottom of the box, as shown in Fig.

3. The lower end of the rod b is providedl with a set-screw, d, whose outer end rests upon a lever, E, which is pivoted to supports extending down from the bottom of the box or case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This lever carries on its outer end a hammer, G, to operate with a bell, F, affixed to the bottom of a case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The lever E is supported at its outer end by a rest-block or bar, f, which determines the range of the movement of the hammer, and maintains it in due position when at rest with respect tothe bell. The quoit-board is aflxed to the bottom of the box by means of screws, so as to enable it to be removed therefrom as it may become worn or indented, and planed down or resmoothened. As such is reduced in thickness the set-screw d on the lower end of the diskrod b enables the disk to be adjusted and maintained in its due normal position with respect to the top of the quoit-board.

From the drawings, it will be seen that the bulls-eye is suspended at a short distance above the quoit-board, and is so connected by mechanism with the hammer-lever that any sudden blow upon the disk will depress it and cause the hammer to strike the bell and ring it.

In using the apparatus or playing a game of quoits, circular plates of metal D', as shown in Fig. 4, are employed, the same being of a diameter about that of the bulls-eye. Each player takes an equal number of the disks or quoits, and, standing at a given dist-ance from the bulls-eye, pitches the quoit at it, which, if it strikes it, causes the `bell to sound, and the pitcher is entitled to so many in the game, as may be agreed upon; for instance, any quoit that strikes the bulls-eye and rings the bell is entitled to fifty in the game, and if the quoit does not strike the bulls-eye, but lodges upon the quoit-board, such is entitled to ten in the game.

It will be evident that the apparatus or device may be constructed without the lid and the upholstery, and used with equal eective ness inthe game, but the upholstered cover converts it into an ottoman, thus constituting a neat and useful piece of furniture.

What I claim isl. As an improved article of manufacture, the above-described game-board, the same consisting of the quoit-board O, the disk D provided with the adjustable rod d, the hammer F, and lever E, and bell G, constructed, arranged, and combined together, and applied to the case A, in manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the subject-matter of the foregoing claim, the upholstered cover B, as and for the purpose set forth.

. FRANCIS I. HOLMES.

lVitnesses:

F. P. HALE, F. C. HALE. 

